Safety device



Nov. 16, 1965 D. w. SMITH SAFETY DEVICE Filed June 29, 1964 INVENTOR Delmar W. Smiilz United States Patent 3,217,833 SAFETY DEVICE Delmer W. Smith, PA). Box 1101, Springfield, Ill. Filed June 29, 1964, Ser. No. 378,634 3 Claims. (Cl. 182-33) This invention relates to novel safety devices for use by workmen on steel or like structures in which flanged beam members are used.

It is well known that construction work above ground level on structures such as those made of steel beams and columns is very hazardous. Not only must workmen be very careful of missteps, but they must also contend with unexpected gusts of wind and other unanticipated circumstances. It is therefore highly desirable to provide safety means for guarding against the unexpected and against the carelessness of the workmen themselves.

This problem is important not only from the standpoint of preserving human life, but also from the point of view of construction cost itself. Insurance rates for construction work reflect the hazardous nature of that type of work. Means which will reduce substantially the potential loss of life or injury in such work will mirror corresponding reductions in insurance rates, hence the cost of building structures of the type in which embodiments of this invention may be used.

This invention contemplates the provision of novel safety devices having a pair of adjustable jaw members proportioned to slidably grip the flange of a flanged beam such as an I-beam and to be releasably locked in one of a plurality of fixed positions and in which means connected to the jaw members are provided to releasably engage the safety belt of a workman utilizing the device.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a novel safety device for use by workmen on structures utilizing flanged beam members.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel safety device for use by a workman on structures incorporating flanged beam members such as I-beams, comprising a pair of adjustable jaw members releasably connectable to each other in a plurality of positions and adapted to be locked in position to slidably grip the flange of a flanged beam member and means connected to said jaw members for releasably engaging the safety belt of a workman.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a novel safety device for use by a workman on a structure incorporating I-beams comprising a pair of adjustable jaw members adapted to be locked to each other to slidably grip the uppermost flange of an I-bea-m and means connected to a jaw member for oscillatably mounting a rigid elongated bar member having a loop at the end remote from said jaw members for releasably engaging the safety belt of a workman.

These and further objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings of a presently preferred embodiment of my invention, set forth to facilitate a complete appreciation and understanding of my invention and to comply with the patent laws.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a safety device of this invention operatively connected to a beam and to a workman;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the safety device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial end elevation, partially in section, viewed from the left-hand side of FIG. 2, of the safety device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevation, partially in section, viewed from the right-hand side of FIG. 3, of the safety device of FIG. 1.

First referring to FIG. 1, a portion of a steel structure employing beams B and columns is there shown. A

3,217,833 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 includes a horizontal plate section 14, an inwardly extending horizontal leg 16 and an interconnecting vertical web 18 substantially normal to both plate section 14 and leg 16. 'Plate 14 has an enlarged shoulder member 19 adapted to lie against the face of the beam flange as will be described. Plate section 14 and leg 16 lie generally parallel to each other and have confronting faces 20 and 22, respectively, spaced from each other slightly more than the thickness of flanges with which the safety device is to be used. A plurality of spaced apertures 24 are defined by the plate section 16 for a purpose to be described.

Jaw member 12 also includes a horizontal plate section 26, an inwardly extending horizontal leg 28 and an interconnecting vertical web 30. Plate section 26 and leg 28 lie generally parallel to each other and vertical web 30 is generally normal to both. Between confronting faces 32 and 34 of plate section 26 and leg 28, respectively, a flange is adapted to be slidably received. As such, the distance between faces 32 and 34 is only slightly greater than the thickness of flanges with which the safety device is to be used.

Plate section 26 includes a lateral extension 36 extending outwardly of the beam, hence rearwardly therefrom. Extension 36 defines an aperture 38 alignable with apertures 24 one at a time and is adapted to receive a locking pin 40 having a head 42 substantially greater in diameter than the diameters of apertures 24 and 38. The elongated shank 44 of the locking pin 40 extends through aligned apertures 24 and 38 and lies generally parallel to the outer face 45 of leg 28. In that manner locking means are provided for the jaw members and the locking pin is located beyond the flanges to which the safety device is to be connected.

Plate section 26 defines a slot 46 rectangular in cross section and proportioned to slidably receive plate section 14. Slot 46 is defined by an upper plate segment 48 from whichlateral extension 36 projects, a lower plate segment 50, and side segments 52. The width and thickness of plate section 14 is just slightly less than the width and height of slot 46 so that there is a firm slidable fit between plate sections 14 and 26 with a minimum of cant.

Secured to one of the plate sections, in this embodiment plate section 26, are means for releasably engaging a safety belt. In the illustrative embodiment it comprises a mounting block 54 secured as by welding to upper plate segment 48. Mounting block 54 includes two upstanding parallel ears 56 each defining aligned apertures 58 and a pair of stop blocks 60. At the end of an elongated bar 62 remote from the jaw members elongated bar 62 is provided with a loop 64. At the other end of elongated bar 62 an end segment adapted to fit between ears 56 is provided. The end segment defines an aperture 68 alignable with apertures 58. A rivet 70 disposed in apertures 58 and 68 locks the elongated bar 62 and mounting block 54 to each other and permits free pivotal or oscillatable movement of the elongated bar 62 in a plane generally parallel to the web of the I-beam illustrated. Stop blocks 60 positioned in the plane of the path of oscillatable bar 62 restricts to less than degrees the are which the loop or remote end of the bar may describe. It preferably limits the arc to about 45 degrees 3 on each side of a position normal to the mounting block base plate.

The loop 64 may be directly attached to a hook H on a workmans safety belt. When this is done, a workman losing his footing for one reason or another is immediately supported by the safety device and he can move only within the limited arc, forwardly or rearwardly, of about 45 degrees permitted by stop blocks 60. This serves also to prevent injuries resulting from limited falls with other safety devices, such as by falling against beams, columns and the like. It is also within the contemplation of this invention that a safety rope or cable secured to a workmans safety belt be attached to the means such as loop 64 secured to one of the plate sections, thereby releasably engaging that safety belt with the safety device 1 of this invention.

In use, a workman will place the jaw members of the safetay device upon the upper flange F of a flanged beam member such as an I-beam. The confronting edges of legs 16 and 28 are spread sufficiently so that flange F may pass therebetween. Once legs 16 and 28 are positioned at an elevation lower than flange F and the jaw members contact the upper surface of flange F, the vertical webs 18 and 20 are brought together until they lie closely adjacent the longitudinal edges of the I-beam. At that point, the aperture 38 of lateral extension 36 is aligned with the nearest aperture 24 in plate section 14 and lock pin 40 is positioned therein, thereby locking the jaw members and 12 to each other. At this time vertical webs 18 and 30 lie closely adjacent the edges E of flange F and the confronting faces 32 and 34 of plate 26 and leg 28 lie closely adjacent the faces of flange F. The confronting faces and 22 of plate 14 and leg 16 also lie closely adjacent the faces of flange F, while the confronting edges of legs 16 and 28 are spaced apart a distance substantially less than the transverse width of the flange F.

The flanges of many beams such as I-beams are not of rectangular cross section. Therefore the distance between the leg faces 22 and 34 and the lower face of flange F will decrease as the web W of the flange is approached. However, the legs may still be considered to be closely adjacent the flanges F. Additionally, since the illustrative embodiment is adapted to cooperate with flanged beams of varying dimension, such as those having transverse flange dimensions of from 6 to 12 inches and more, it is clear that the jaw members must accommodate flanges of different thicknesses. Since the distance between the plate sections and legs is fixed, the degree of adjacency of the jaw members to' the flanges will vary with the flange thickness. The distance between confronting edges of legs 16 and 28 will also vary with the width of the flange accommodated. In all cases, however, the distance between the confronting edges will be substantially less than the width of the flange.

Once the jaw segments have been locked in position, they will be securely but releasably connected to the flange and will be slidable therealong. At that point a workman may engage the loop 64 with a hook H and may work confidently and safely without fear of falling from the structure on which he is working. If the workman slips, the maximum distance he can move in the event that the loop is attached directly rather than indirectly to the safety belt is limited to the arcuate distance the loop can move, which, as explained, is limited by stop blocks 60. And then he can only move in a plane genera y parallel to the plane of the flange web.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims that various modifications in the illustrative embodiment are contemplated and are within the spirit and scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. A safety device for a workman comprising a safetybelt and a safety means releasably connected to said safety-belt, said safety means being releasably connectable to the flange of an I-beam and including a pair of jaw members having slidably engaged plate sections for overlying a flange of an I-beam, each of said jaw members having an inwardly extending leg for underlying a flange of an I-beam and underlying the plate section of said jaw member, and each jaw member having a vertical web member interconnecting said leg and said plate section, means for locking the jaw members to each other so that the vertical web members lie closely adjacent the longitudinal edges of an I-beam flange and so that the distance between the innermost edges of the legs is substantially less than the transverse width of an I-beam flange whereby said safety means is locked to a flange of an I-beam, and mounting means connected to a said plate section for pivotally supporting an upwardly extending elongated rigid means for releasably connecting said safety-belt to said safety means.

2. The safety device of claim 1 in which said mounting means include means for limiting the pivotal movement of said elongated rigid means to less than 3. A safety device comprising a safety-belt and safety means releasably connected thereto and connectable to the uppermost flange of an I-beam comprising a pair of opposed jaw members each having an upper horizontal plate section, a lower horizontal leg and an intermediate vertical web interconnecting a plate section and a leg, one of said upper horizontal plate sections overlapping at least a portion of the other, a plurality of alignable apertures in said plate sections for receiving a locking pin therethrough to lock said opposed jaw members to each other in one of a plurality of positions for accommodating between said intermediate vertical webs I-beam flanges of varying widths, in which positions said vertical webs lie closely adjacent the longitudinal edges of said flange and the innermost edges of said legs underlie a central portion of an I-beam flange whereby said safety means is locked to a flange of an I-beam, pivotal mounting means connected to one of said horizontal plate sections, an elongated rigid bar oscillatably mounted on said pivotal mounting means for limited oscillatable movement with respect thereto and a loop at the remote end of said elongated rigid bar releasably connected to said safety-belt.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,897,810 2/1933 Mallory 182-3 X 1,974,628 9/1934 Presley 248228 1,983,670 12/1934 Knight 248-228 2,164,846 7/1939 Thompson 248228 2,195,229 3/1940 Frankel 182-3 X 2,961,269 11/1960 Renfroe 248-228 X 3,053,494 9/1962 Stoll 248228 3,137,487 6/1964 Lesser l823 X HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Examiner. 

1. A SAFETY DEVICE FOR A WORKMAN COMPRISING A SAFETYBELT AND A SAFETY MEANS RELEASABLY CONNECTED TO SAID SAFETY-BELT, SAID SAFETY MEANS BEING RELEASABLY CONNECTABLE TO THE FLANGE OF AN I-BEAM AND INCLUDING A PAIR OF JAW MEMBERS HAVING SLIDABLY ENGAGED PLATE SECTIONS FOR OVERLYING A FLANGE OF AN I-BEAM, EACH OF SAID JAW MEMBERS HAVING AN INWARDLY EXTENDING LEG FOR UNDERLYING A FLANGE OF AN I-BEAM AND UNDERLYING THE PLATE SECTION OF SAID JAW MEMBER, AND EACH JAW MEMBER HAVING A VERTICAL WEB MEMBER INTERCONNECTING SAID LEG AND SAID PLATE SECTION, MEANS FOR LOCKING THE JAW MEMBERS TO EACH OTHER SO THAT THE VERTICAL WEB MEMBERS LIE CLOSELY ADJACENT THE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OF AN I-BEAM FLANGE AND SO THAT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE INNERMOST EDGES OF THE LEGS IS SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE TRANSVERSE WIDTH OF AN I-BEAM FLANGE WHEREBY SAID SAFETY MEANS IS LOCKED TO FLANGE OF AN I-BEAM, AND MOUNTING MEANS CONNECTED TO A SAID PLATE SECTION FOR PIVOTALLY SUPPORTING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING ELONGATED RIGID MEANS FOR RELEASABLY CONNECTING SAID SAFETY-BELT TO SAID SAFETY MEANS. 